Name: Date: 11/14-18/05 Science Concept(s): Habitats Unit Title: Land Habitats Grade Level: 2

Transcription

1 Name: Date: 11/14-18/05 Science Concept(s): Habitats Unit Title: Land Habitats Grade Level: 2 PURPOSE: To teach the students that a habitat is where plants and animals live and to introduce the students to four land habitats; the woodland forest, the rainforest, the desert, and the arctic. DRIVING QUESTION: What plants and animals live in a woodland forest, a rainforest, a desert, and the arctic? OBJECTIVIES 1.) Students will be able to categorize animals and plants into the four habitats. 2.) Students will be able to list similarities and differences of the woodland forest and the rainforest. 3.) Students will be able to demonstrate their understanding of the different climates and characteristics of the four habitats through a worksheet and by creating a drawing of a habitat. STANDARDS: Pennsylvania Standards Biological Sciences A. Know the similarities and differences of living things. - Identify life processes of living things (e.g., growth, digestion, react to environment). - Know that some organisms have similar external characteristics (e.g., anatomical characteristics; appendages, type of covering, body segments) and that similarities and differences are related to environmental habitat. - Describe basic needs of plants and animals National Science Education Standards Science as inquiry - Ability to do scientific inquiry MATERIALS: - Posters of all 4 habitats - Pictures of plants and animals for all 4 habitats with magnets attached to the backs - 18 copies of Day 1 worksheet - Venn diagram worksheet (Day 2) - Large hanging Venn Diagram chart - Woodland Forest/Rainforest fact cards - 6 pieces of poster board - blank sentence strips

2 LESSON ACTIVITIES Day One The unit will begin with an activity and discussion involving all four habitats. (the woodland, the rainforest, the desert, and the arctic) The activity will use the four posters of the habitats. (ENGAGE) (EXPLORE) - Hang the habitat posters on the board and ask the students to sit on the floor in the front of the classroom facing the board. - Ask the students to properly name the four pictures (habitats) on the board. - Pass out the various pictures of plants and animals. Be sure each student gets at least one picture. - One by one, have the students stand up to share their pictures then place the picture in the correct habitat. (There will be magnets on the pictures and habitat posters.) Have the student tell the class why they believe their particular plant or animal belongs in the habitat they chose. - Tell the students that after the activity we will discuss the habitats and animals on the board and to be thinking of questions to discuss. Tell them to be thinking about what they want to learn about the habitats and what they could ask to help them learn as much as they can about animals and their habitats. - Continue with this activity and continue listening to how the students formulate their explanations and ideas until all animals and plants are up in their habitats. *Pay close attention to the student responses* This activity should be giving the students an opportunity to connect information they know to the information being discussed by their peers. - After all the animals and plants are in their correct habitats ask the student if they have formulated any questions about the topic during the activity. - It is important to hold back and allow the students to lead the discussion. Let the students state the questions. As a question is asked, ask them if they all agree with the question posed. If they do not, tell them to give a thumb down. Then, begin a discussion with the students and help them to devise another question. If they all agree, tell the students to give thumbs up and write the question on the board. Continue with this until there are three to four questions on the board. 2

3 (EXPLAIN) - These questions will stay on the board throughout the unit. Refer to them and pose evidence for the students so they may come to conclusions with their own ideas. - Next, with the questions to follow, begin a discussion with the students about the activity. Be sure to discuss these questions, however, the discussion does not need to be limited to these questions. The discussion may expand according to student inquiry, but be sure these questions are discussed before students return to their seats. - Questions for discussion: 1.) By looking at these pictures on the posters and thinking about the activity that was just done, what is a habitat? (Answers the teacher should be looking for: A habitat is a place that meets the needs of plants and animals. There are different habitats for different plants and animals. Habitats have what plants and animals need to live. Some animals live off of the plants in their habitat) 2.) What do animals get form their habitats? (Food and shelter) 3.) Why do you think (pick any animal) e.g.: the chipmunk lives in the woodland forest and not the desert? (Ask the question again with a few different animals and habitats.) The goal of this question is to get the students thinking about why certain animals need the habitats they do. - After the teacher feels the discussion has proven effective, have the students return to their seats. Then pass out the Day 1 worksheets to the students. (Based on how well the students did during the discussion they can complete it on their own or with the teacher.) (ELABORATE) Day Two - For this class, use the Day 1 transparency of the worksheet and complete it with the students. They can discuss the various answers and you can make sure every student has the opportunity to see and discuss the correct answers and has to opportunity to ask questions. The second day will focus on the plants and animals of the woodland forest and the rainforest. The students will compare and contrast similarities and differences of the two forests. - Pass out the Venn diagram worksheet to the students. - Hang up the woodland forest and the rainforest posters from Day 1. (Have animals and plants already attached to the posters.) 3

4 (EXPLORE) (EXPLAIN) - Hang up the Venn diagram chart in the front of the room as well. - Begin by asking the students to name similarities and differences of the two forests. (Have students do more of the discussion than the teacher if possible.) By comparing the two forests in the posters, the students will be able to see similarities and differences. - As the students are giving responses, write them on the sentences strips and place them in the proper slots of the Venn diagram in the front of the room. Have students write them in their copies as well. - Continue to write responses throughout the entire lesson. (ELABORATE) Day Three - Next, use the woodland forest/rainforest fact cards. Read them to the students and place them on the board either under the woodland forest or the rainforest. This will help the students see similar and contrasting facts of each habitat. If new facts are introduced be sure to place them in the venn diagram. - Once the diagrams are filled out, elaborate on the fact that the woodland forest has four seasons and the rainforest does not. - Show the students pictures of the four different seasons of the woodland forest. Ask various students to describe what they see. - Read the facts from the back of the season pictures and have the student answer what season it belongs to. Day three will be teaching about the desert and the arctic habitats. The focus will be on the animals and the plants. (ENGAGE) - Hang up the desert and the arctic posters from Day 1. Have the animals and plants attached to the posters. There will be facts on the back of the pictures. - Tell the students the desert has a very different habitat from the woodland forest and the rainforest. Hold up both of the forest posters and have them 4

5 (EXPLORE) (EXPLAIN) observe the differences. Tell the students that the desert is very dry. Ask them how they think plants and animals can live there. - After listening to their responses, tell them we are going to learn about the plants and animals in the desert poster. - Each picture on the poster has a caption on the back that tells why they survive in the desert. Have students chose an animal or plant and then have a student read the caption. - Next, move onto the arctic poster. The poster shows the arctic during the seasons when the arctic is covered with snow. Be sure to explain to the students that during the summer the arctic has plants that can grow. These plants grow very low to the ground, which helps them stay safe from strong winds. - Have the students do the same procedure as they did with the desert. Have them chose plant and animal pictures and read aloud the caption facts attached. - Then, ask the students if they could live in any habitat, which would they choose. Then ask why they chose that habitat. If in their response they still have misconceptions about the habitats, plants, or animals, use the posters and facts to dismiss the misconceptions. - Break the students into six groups (groups will be pre-determined before the lesson). Tell the students each group has to decide on which habitat they would like to live. They need to decide on what animals they would like to be as well. (ELABORATE) - In their groups, have them draw the habitat they chose. Remind them to show the details of their habitat in their drawings. - After they are finished, they will share their drawings with the class. Have the groups discuss the characteristics of their habitat, why they chose the habitat, and what animal they are. 5

6 (EVALUATE) Pre-Assessment Student knowledge was pre-assessed prior to the unit during a concept interview. Three students, who were at various levels, were asked a variety of questions. One question asked was: What is a habitat? Students vaguely answered the question. Originally during the interview, the topic of the unit intended to be taught was only the woodland forest and the rainforest. Questions asked during the interview revolved around those two topics. Due to the minimal coverage of the topic during the concept interview, another pre-assessment is conducted at the beginning of the lesson. This is during day one. It occurs when the students are asked to place plants and animals in their correct habitats. This activity determines if the students know what habitat each plant and animals belongs in. Formative Assessment Having a discussion and asking three main questions will assess day one learning. The responses to look for during the discussion are: Habitats meet the needs of plants and animals. There are different habitats for different plants and animals. Habitats have what plants and animals need to live. Some animals need the plants from their habitat to live. Animals get food and shelter from their habitats. Student assessment during day two will occur when the students are finding similarities and differences between the woodland forest and the rainforest. Every student will get an opportunity to give a similarity or difference of the two forests. Summative Assessment Students will fully demonstrate their understanding of the unit through their habitat drawings from day three. They will need to show their understanding in their drawings by drawing characteristics of the habitats and animals in their habitat. They will also have to verbally explain their drawings. I will be listening for them to say things such as: The animal I chose lives there because of the food and shelter meets its needs. My animal lives well in a rainy climate. I can live in the woodland with the four seasons because Student assessment can be determined by weather students have correctly completed the two worksheets and by observing student participation in the discussions. Every student will have at least 6

7 one opportunity to volunteer in the discussions throughout the course of the mini unit. 7